WHILE the sun adds plenty of colour to our cheeks, it's adding a host of different colours to the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Plants like the Brazilian bougainvillea are thriving in the tropical climate, as are those in the Mediterranean garden.

Wolfgang Bott, curator at the Garden of Wales said the flowering season had been extended thanks to the current hot spell, with many of the plants flowering much earlier than usual.

But he said we could expect to see common garden favourites like rosemary, lavender and thyme thrive in the sun.

"It's plants like this, and Red Hot Poker, or kniphopia, that thoroughly enjoy this sort of Continental climate. There is plenty of colour in the walled garden and the colourful herbaceous borders are looking very good."